Introduction

The Vantec Nexstar MX is a dual bay hard drive enclosure with USB and eSATA connectivity. The hard drives within can act as separate drives or in concert, appearing as one large, speedy drive or a slower, but constantly backed-up drive. An exterior aluminum shell protects and cools the drives, too. Read on as we take a look at the Nexstar MX in this review...

FeaturesSpecifications

- Supports dual SATA I/II Hard Drives Up to 2.0 TB of Storage
- USB 2.0 External Interface Allows You to Transfer Data Up to 480 Mbps
- eSATA External Interface Allows You to Transfer Data Up to 3Gb/s.
- Front Ventilation and Rear Fan for Better Air Circulation and Cooling
- Stylish Aluminum Case to Draw Away the Heat
- Support 4 Different Configuration Mode: JBOD / individual / Raid 0 / Raid 1
- Simple Plug & Play Connection; Does Not Require Drivers
- Arcsoft Totalmedia BackupT, Archive Photos, Music, Video and Data with Three Easy Clicks

Specifications

Model: NST-400MX-SR
Modes Support: Individual/JBOD/RAID 0/1
Device Support: 3.5'' SATA I/II Hard Drive (2)
Device Size: 3.5''
Internal Interface: Serial ATA
External Interface: USB 2.0/eSATA
HD Capacity: Up to 2TB
Power Supply: AC Adapter
Material: Aluminum
Dimension: 197 x 123 x 72mm

Packaging

The black and gold box bears a small Vantec logo with a prominent NexStar MX text logo and a visage of the contraption within. A blue sticker notes that the unit supports both RAID0 and RAID1, but neglects to explain the properties of these wondrous technologies. The front and rear further explain the device and its merits, including the possibility of up to 2 TB of storage in an excellently cooled device.

The unit is packed in hard cardboard. It's not the most cushioned packing, but such a thing isn't quite necessary for this very solid unit without any easily breakable parts. Included in the enclosure, the power supply and cord, eSATA and USB cables, a base, screws, a manual, a CD with some backup software on it, and an expansion bay eSATA bracket.